Local official insists No Rubout in Pikit Operation

North Cotabato Police Provincial Director PCol Henry Villar responded to all questions from local reporters during a news conference on Wednesday organized by Cotabato Provincial Police Office while Datu Turno Sultan, president of the town’s Association of Barangay Captains (right) listens and PLt. Col. Ruben Ramos, provincial chief of the PNP-Highway Patrol Group (2nd right). The Press conference held at the provincial Capitol in Kidapawan City. (By Mark Navales)

COTABATO CITY - Five suspects were killed while four policemen were injured during the firefight that lasted for about three hours. The slain suspects were identified as Muhien, Mantok, Asrap Masulot, Badrudin Malid, Bunta Kabunto and Arbaya Panisares. Sultan, who lives in a nearby village, maintained that a gunfight ensued between the policemen and the armed group led by Manampan which fired at the arresting team tasked to effect the arrest of the wanted person.  

“There was no rubout or massacre during the police operation but was an encounter,” Sultan told a news conference on Wednesday January 5, 2022 

Sultan made the statements amid allegations from the suspects’ families that the slain suspects were summarily executed.

PCol. Henry Villar, Cotabato police provincial director, clarified that the area was a haven of lawless elements involved in carnapping, gun-for-hire and illegal drug trade contrary to the claims of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front that the area is an MILF- controlled territory. He said the only recognized MILF camp in North Cotabato is Camp Rajamuda located in Barangay Rajamuda, Pikit.

“Our target based in two warrants of arrest and listed as Most Wanted Person-National Level with reward amounting to Php175,000.00 covered by DILG Memorandum Circulars dated June 11, 2021 is criminal gang leader Joel Manampan alias Maula Manampan” Villar said

“Satar Kabunto alias Expander was the one who fired at us first even though we used a police marked vehicle and Joel Manampan alias Maula Manampan the subject person of the warrant of arrest who was able to escape from the operating troops” Villar added.

Datu Turno Sultan, president of the town’s Association of Barangay Captains, said the encounter broke out after several armed men opened fire at a police convoy wounding four policemen who were on their way to serve the arrest warrant against Joel Manampan, a wanted criminal who is facing string of murder cases.

PLt. Col. Ruben Ramos, provincial chief of the PNP-Highway Patrol Group, said some 20 recovered motorcycles from 400 were reported to have been carnapped after the owners showed up to the police provincial headquarters and brought pertinent documents which proved their ownership over the stolen vehicles.

Two motorcycle owners appeared during the news conference and alleged that their motorcycles were forcibly taken from them by gun-wielding suspects aboard a motorcycle in Kidapawan City and Tulunan town in 2019 and 2020.  

"Galing ako sa South Cotabato papunta ng Roxas going to Tulunan, huminto ako para uminom lang sana ng tubig ng may huminto at likuran ko at tinutukan ako at sinabihan ako na relax lang, at nakita ko sa aking unahan na may bumaba rin at nakita ko na may dala rin itong baril at tuluyan ng tinangay ang motor ko." Carnapp victim said.

("I'm came from South Cotabato to Roxas going to Tulunan, I stopped to drink water when someone stopped and went behind my back pointing gun and told me to just relax, and I saw another person in front of me and I saw he has a gun also and they took my motorcycle”)

Sultan said the local government of Pikit had conducted a verification to determine the authenticity of the business permits allegedly issued to Malid family to run a buy and sell trading of motorcycles in the area amid allegations by the slain suspect’s relatives that they are into legitimate trading of motorcycles.

He said the business licensing office of the municipal government is looking into reports that there were permits issued by the local government and the Department of Trade and Industry for the trading of the Malids in Barangay Gokotan and Barangay Poblacion.

Local officials here debunked reports of a rubout involving a bloody encounter between security forces and lawless armed group in Barangay Gokotan last December 29 while policemen were serving an arrest warrant against a suspected criminal gang leader in the area.  (with report by Mark Navales)